Pan Am railways Executive Vice President Cynthia Scarano told 22News that the track is temporarily out of service. Scarano said there was a washout involving dirt and rocks, but would not classify it as a collapse of the structure. The company says it is a track and maintenance review situation.

Structural engineers who specialize in railroad tunnels have been called in for an inspection and to make an evaluation. Pan Am will make a plan on rerouting train traffic and repairs pending the result of the evaluation.

The tunnel opened in 1875. It runs five miles through the Hoosac Mountain Range in western Massachusetts from the towns of North Adams on its west side to Florida on the east.